Today we’d like to introduce you to Candice Filippi.
Hi Candice, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I always thought being a chef was going to be my forever career. I graduated with Honors from Le Cordon Bleu with a degree in Culinary Arts in 2005 and ran my own catering company in Los Angeles for 6 years until we moved to the San Diego area, and my life changed quite a bit! I was about to have my second daughter and decided to take some time off to raise my girls. (Hardest job ever, by the way). I focused on my children throughout that period, but I had a huge creative outlet that needed to be filled.
I discovered I was a decent artist and enjoyed painting as a hobby. I did all sorts of “side hustles,” from making professional cakes or specialty decorated cookies for people in the community to teaching cooking classes and taking on major DIY home improvement projects around the house with my husband. One thing that came into focus for me was entertaining and throwing over-the-top parties at home. I developed a bit of a reputation as “the party lady.” It was a joy for me! I also became president & event planner of a local foundation at my kid’s school that had an Annual Gala and other events throughout the year, and it was at this point, I truly fell in love with designing parties.
When the pandemic hit, like so many of us, it stopped me in my tracks. I was over-committed to so many things; it honestly was a blessing in more ways than one for me. It forced me to refocus and think about what I wanted in my next chapter. My girls were getting older, and I was ready to re-enter the workforce again. At the time, I had a close friend who was a corporate event planner, and after many discussions, we pieced together the concept of being able to get all the products you need to throw a beautiful party from one place. And OhMy! Creative was born! The Ultimate Party-in-a-Box Shop! The business started as a partnership, but unfortunately, it was not meant to be, and in our first year, we decided it would be best to buy my partner out. I was deeply disappointed, yet I was so passionate and sincerely believed in my company that I just dived fully into OhMy! Creative and never looked back.
In 2022, my family decided to relocate to the beautiful state of South Carolina outside of Charleston in a town called Summerville. Pure Southern charm! Here, I have been able to grow OMC more with a brick-and-mortar party shop, warehouse, and crafting studio! Every day is a dream come true for me. I want to expand my services and offerings to a busier retail space. (I still cook almost every day, though, just FYI).
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
It’s been anything but smooth! In the first year, OMC went from a partnership to a solo. Then, deciding to relocate from the West Coast to the East Coast was also a crazy experience. This company has evolved and will forever be growing, and thankfully, it has worked out for the best. My current struggle is transitioning from primarily an e-commerce business with a tiny party shop showroom to a total retail space in the public eye. We come out bigger and better with every challenge and struggle. Small businesses are chock-full of risk, but the rewards on the other side have made it all worthwhile.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work is a dream for someone like myself. I love to create, and I’m also a big people-pleaser. I truly love to make people happy through parties. OhMy! Creative is the Ultimate Party-in-a-Box Shop. Do party boxes already exist? Yes. But no one does a party box like OMC. We take it to the next level with attention to detail and our mix of thoughtful reusable and disposable products. Our boxes include everything from real table linens, cake stands, and party signage to hanging décor, tableware, and detailed table décor.
Essentially, our goal is to relieve the stress and save you time and money when hosting an Insta-worthy party. Just set up & enjoy! I’ll make it if I can’t find it. And I do just that. I design many of our products, like cups, banners, or signage, to ensure you have a party that I would be proud to host myself. We are like the event planner you don’t have to pay extra for. I am designing, curating, creating, packing, and shipping complete parties to doorsteps nationwide.
We are known for our stunning party boxes. We represent many themes, from kids’ and adult birthdays to bachelorette parties, baby showers, holidays, or a tablescape for a dinner party. Our website has many pre-designed boxes, but because of endless party themes, we offer something amazing: custom party boxes. We work with our clients to create their own personal party boxes. Nothing else exists right now in the party supply industry. We are so proud of that. And we feel confident that it’s challenging to duplicate! We put a lot of love and time into each customer’s party box, and you will never see a Party City or Amazon do that.
We’d love to hear what you think about risk-taking.
Risk-taking is part of being a business owner. We all know that. It was the primary reason my business partner and I had to part ways. Investment is a risk. Time commitment is a risk. Stress is a risk! But that’s ok. Only some people are built to be able to handle the risk involved. It can be terrifying! I’m not a multi-millionaire who can throw hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars at my business. I am a middle-class mom married to a hard-working, brilliant husband. We have invested a lot in making this dream a reality for me, and I’m blessed to have a husband and family who support me 100%. I will continue to reinvest in what will be a success as more people learn about our brand. It will take time because I’m growing more organically. That’s ok. I’d have zero regrets if I had to shut down tomorrow (despite the fact I’d be devastated). I will always believe in what I do, and I’m so proud of how far I’ve come from such a rocky start. You always know by trying and putting yourself out there. They don’t say, “No risk, No reward” for nothing! When you are truly passionate about something, the risk factor drops significantly.
Pricing:
- Typical Party boxes range from $79-$500 depending on how elaborate
Contact Info:
- Website: www.OhMyCreativeParty.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ohmycreativeparty/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/omcparty
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candice-filippi-526232274/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/OhMyCreativeParty
Image Credits
Candice Filippi, Kyle Simon Photography
